HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0024.011 - Testimony - CA-9 - staff for PONC fund and Maintenance fundFrom: Anita Glass <anika.nui@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2018 6:27 PM
To: Charter Commission
Subject: STRENGTHEN THE LAND FUND
DON'T REDUCE AMOUNT CONTRIBUTED TO THE 2% LAND FUND.
Not for the first time, Hawai'i County proposes cutting the fund in ways that would ruin the 2% Land Fund. Charter
changes are pushed every few years, not by "the people" (the 60% of voters who spelled out not once, but twice, why
we need the land fund and how the property should be used.)
This time newer sneaky ways have been dreamt up to squeeze money from the properties purchased for the benefit of
generations to come.
There is a desire to lease the properties for private enterprise.
They want to use the land as bond security.
By now you already know these sorts of modifications easily dissuade owners with neighboring land or cash to
contribute from participating in a project for public enjoyment.
HIRE SOMEONE FROM THE LAND FUND MONEY.
Hire someone to handle day to day administration of the fund, complete paperwork, and locate properties. They would
also document the overview process. Project Plans then could follow those guidelines to ensure project does not fade
away. The choosing of properties of the top priority lands and making overtures can grind to a halt with no one except
the mayor to keep nudging them forward.
This new position is part of Administration, providing guidance to the Council. But a set percent of time to be allocated
to ONLY Land Fund business.
Money for salary for a project planner should come from the fund itself. This should prompt some movement from the
mayor's office.
YES, THE COUNTY NEEDS MORE MONEY
Lack of money is not what wrecked our transit system. Nor did lack of money put multiple wells out of service. Pensions
need funding.
In general, our County needs to tighten its belt to where it hurts, to get busses running, water out of the ground, and
fund pensions.
WE WILL TURN OUT AND VOTE TO KEEP AND IMPROVE OUR 2% LAND FUND.
When 60% of voters twice voted for a two percent of our tax dollars be directed to a land fund we were knowledgeable
about County inefficiencies, lack of gumption, and lack of will to raise taxes. We knew. I would say that voters were
better informed about the Land Fund than any other issue facing our county. If we have to vote yet again, you can bet
we will.
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Comm. No. 24.11
When a weak government sees a pool of money, the first thought is to drain it dry.
Once drained dry, the need for new elections will be urgent.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
There is less and less land and shore readily accessible to the people who live here. It's hard to find good, legal hiking
trails, a place to fish, a safe place to enter the water. The warm ponds of North Kona are all private housing.
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